Coin-operated finger-pull



(No Model.)

W. H. GILMAN. COIN OPERATED FINGER PULL.

Patented May 28, 1889.

EESEE N4 FETiRi Fholo'Liihogmprwr, Washlngiom D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLARD H. GILMAN, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNOR TO VILLIAM S. REED, OF LFOMINSTER, MASSACH USET S.

COIN-OPERATED FINGER-PU LL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,995, dated' May 28, 1889. Application filed June 9, 1888. Serial No. 276,628 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLARD H. GILMAN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Operated Finger -Pulls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a finger-dynamometer which is normally locked and is provided with a coin-operated locking device whereby it may be unlocked and made operative.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple device of this class in which the resistance by friction to the movement imparted to the indicating device by the muscular power of the operator shall be reduced to the minimum.

To this end my invention consists in a flexible pull combined with a spring-controlled rotary drum or shaft, to which said pull is attached, and a coin-operated locking device, whereby movement of said pull is prevented until a coin is inserted in the casing of the apparatus, the pull being released by the weight of the coin, so that the operator may draw it outwardly. 7

Of the accompanyingQ'drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a finger-pull having my improvements. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the same on line 2 2, Fig. Fig. 3 represents a top View. Fig. at represents a section of one end of the casing. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of' the lever.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents a casing, in which is a rotary drum or shaft, 0, said drum being, as here shown, mounted rotatively on a fixed rod or journal, d, which is supported by the sides of the casing.

f represents a spring, which may be arranged in any suitable way to exertarotative stress on the drum in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. The spring here shown is of the volute form, one end being attached to the fixed rod d and the other end to the periphery of the drum; but it is obvious that Various other ways, such as would naturally suggest themselves to a skilled mechanic.

6 represents a flexible ribbon or strap, one end of which is attached to the periphery of the drum 0. The strap passes partly around the drum and extends from the same through a slot, f, in one end of the casing, the outer end of the strap being provided with a suitable handle, g. The strap or ribbon may be of metal, leather, or any suitably strong and flexible material, and constitutes what I term a flexible pull, through which the operator may exert his muscular force against the stress of the spring f by pulling outwardly on the handle g. I prefer to provide anti-friction rollers i i in the casing, near the slot f in said casing, through which the flexible pull passes, said rollers being arranged to support the pull, so that it cannot bear on the sides of the slot.

on represents a chute, which extends from the top of the casing downwardly into the same.

n represents a locking lever or dog, which is pivoted at 0 to the casing and engages automatically at one end with a ratchet, p, af-

fixed to the drum 0, said drum being locked by the engagement of the lever with the ratchet. One end of the lever projects into the chute on far enough to be struck by a coin passing down said chute. The contact of a coin with said lever moves the same to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, thereby unlocking the drum and enabling it to be rotated by a drafton the flexible pull.

'1 represents a weighted lever, which is pivoted at s at one side of the chute m, and is formed at one end as a dog, which engages a toothed arm, 1., which arm is pivoted at u to the drum 0. The other end of the lever '7' has a short lug or projection, r, which is formed to project under the chute, and is held by the arm 15 in position to arrest a coin which has been inserted in the chute, and thus hold the coin in contact with the lever n until the drum has been rotated by the pull 6. lVhen the pull is released, the spring, rotating the drum, as indicated by the arrow, causes the arm 25 to displace the lug or proj ection by moving the same toward one side of the chute, and thus allow the coin to drop to the bottom of the casing. When the drum is unlocked, as described, and rotated by a draft on the flexible pull, a projection, as 15, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) on the drum strikes a movable index or circular pointer, w, which is adapted to slide in a segmental slot, '0, in the casing, said index or pointer being designed to move over a graduated scale, *0, beside said slot, the degree of force exerted being indicated by said index and scale.

It will be seen that when the operator draws the flexible pull outwardly the friction caused by the movement is confined chiefly to the bearings of the drum, and is therefore very slight. It is immaterial, therefore, Whether the line of draft on the pull is always the same or not-that is, if the pull is inclined downwardly or upwardly while the operator is exerting his strength on it the resistance is not perceptibly greater than when the pull is held horizontally, so that when the pull is inclined downwardly, as it might be by a short person, or upwardly, as it might be by a tall person, or held horizontally, as it might be by a person of medium height, the same amount of force exerted by each will give the same indication.

In devices of this kind employing handled rods sliding in fixed bearings it is obvious that unless care is taken to pull the rod exactly in the direction of its length its movement will be attended with more or less friction, the resistance from this cause increasing with the degree of side pressure, so that a given degree of force exerted by a person whose tendency is to pull downward or upward would not indicate as much as the same degree exerted by one who pulls exactly in the direction of the length of the rod. This objection is entirely obviated by my improvement.

I do not limit myself to the use of the rollers i c. If desired, the slot f may be made so wide that there will be no liability of contaet between its sides and the pull when strain is exerted on the latter, in which case the down with the pull and covers the slot f, so that coins cannot be removed from the casing through said slot.

The drum to which the flexible pull is atratchet, the coin-chute, the locking lever or dog engaging said ratchet at one end, its other end being projected through an aperture of said chute, and the flexible pull secured to said drum, substantially as described.

2. As an improvement in coin-operated finger-pulls, the combination of the fixed shaft, the spring-pressed drum rotativel'y mounted thereon, the ratchet secured to said drum, the coin-chute, the lever or dog having one end extending into said chute, and the flexible pull having a handled end, substantially as described.

3. As an improvement in coin-operated finger-pulls, the combination of the springpressed drum, itsshaft, the ratchet, the coinchute, the lever or dog engaging said ratchet, the toothed arm secured to said drum, the weighted lever engaging said arm and having a lug or projection, and the flexible pull, substantially as described.

4. As an improvement in coin-operatedfinger-pulls, the combination of the spring pressed drum, its shaft, the ratchet secured to said drum, the coin-chute, the lever or dog engaging said ratchet and having one end project-ing into said chute, the toothed arm, the weighted lever engaging said arm and having a lug or projection proj ecting'beneath said chute, and the flexible pull, substantially as described.-

5. In a coin-operated finger-pull, the com-. bination of the spring-pressed drum having a ratchet, the coin-chute, the lever or dog engaging said ratchet, the flexible pull secured to said drum, the slide through which said pull is passed, and the guides therefor, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 6th day of June, A. D. 1888.

WILLARD H. GILMA'N.

WVitnesses:

vO. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON. 

